Gender pay gap: time to abolish the parent penalty

A new study by the Resolution Foundation has revealed that, while the gender pay gap for women in their 20s has halved to just 5%, the progress will be undone in later life.

Responding to the research, Rebecca Hilsenrath, Chief Executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said:

“Women are a vital part of the workforce and successful businesses need to harness the talents, skills and experience of all employees. Women deserve recognition and reward just as much as other employees. It is time to abolish the parent penalty.

“We welcome the reduction of the pay gap for younger women, but it’s only good news if it’s sustainable and meaningful – not if it’s just a postponement of the bad news for later in life.”